Operating table with transportable upper part



E. PILZ 3,362,704

OPERATING TABLE WITH TRANSPORTABLE UPPER PART Jan. 9, 1968 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 22, 1965 IIIlIII/I E. PILZ 3,362,704

OPERATING TABLE WITH TRANSPORTABLE UPPER PART Jan. 9, 1 968 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 22, 1965 Jan. 9, 1968 E. PILZ 3,362,704

OPERATING TABLE WITH TRANSPORTABLE UPPER PART Filed March 22, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 77

FIG. 6

E. PILZ 3,362,704

OPERATING TABLE WITH TRANSPORTABLE UPPER PART Jan. 9, 1968 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 22, 1965 JILL.

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E. PILZ 3,362,704

OPERATING TABLE WITH TRANSPORTABLE UPPER PART Jan. 9, 1968 6 Sheets- Sheet 5 Filed March 22, 1965 INVENTOR. Efiw/N P/LZ Jan. 9, 1968 E. PILZ 3,362,704

OPERATING TABLEWITH TRANSPORTABLE UPPER PART Filed March 22, 1965 6 Sheets-Shet x. 4 &

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United States Patent OPERATING TABLE WITH TRANSPORTABLE UPPER PART Erwin Piiz, Rastatt, Germany, assignor to Stierlen-Werke Aktiengesellschaft, Rastatt, Baden, Germany Filed Mar. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 441,807

Claims priority, application Germany, Mar. 211, 1964,

St 21,874 22 Claims. (Cl. 269325) The present invention relates to an operating table with transportable upper part and normally stationary lower part. Operating tables of this general type are known but have fundamental drawbacks which affect the universal employment of operating tables of the type involved.

Modern surgery requires an operating table in which the part on which the patient lies is sub-divided and can be so actuated during the actual operation that the operating area of the patient can selectively be placed under tension and elevated with regard to the surrounding area so as to facilitate the operation itself, and can also be released for closing the wound. The modern art of anesthetizing employs, for instance, the raising or lowering of the lower extremities of the patient in order to control circulation and requires the possibility of intra-operative weight control. All of these manipulations must be possible without affecting the activity of the surgeon and possibility :by remote control without requiring any material efforts of the operator, and must also exclude any mistakes on the part of the operator.

While a part of the above requirements has been met by some operating tables new on the market, the heretofore known combinations of a normally stationary lower part and a transportable upper part of an operating table have not yielded satisfactory results. It has been necessary either to omit a multiple division of the sup-porting surface for the patient, or if such division was provided for it was not possible to actuate the sections by motor means. Also other important requirements could not be met as, for instance, a possibility of intra-operatively taking X-rays.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an operating table with normally stationary lower part and with transportable upper part, which will overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks.

It is another object of this invention to provide an operating table of the character set forth above, in which the supporting surface for the patient is sub-divided and in which the thus obtained sections can individually be actuated by motor means.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an operating table as set forth in the preceding paragraphs which will permit intra-o-peratively the taking of X-rays.

Still another object of this invention consists in the provision of an operating table as set forth above, which will be characterized by a safe operation thereof.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 diagrammatically illustrates partly in elevation and partly in section the normally stationary lower part of an operating table according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 diagrammatically illustrates partly in elevation and partly in section the upper portion of an operating table, according to the present invention, lifted off the lower part of the operating table illustrated in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 illustrates partly in elevation and partly in section a carriage for transporting the upper portion of the operating table according to the invention;

3,362,704 Patented .Ian. 9, 1968 FIGURE 4 illustrates a coupling for use in connection with the upper portion of the operating table;

FIGURE 5 is a section taken along the line VV of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 represents a section taken along the line VI VI of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 7 is an end view of FIGURE 1 as seen in the direction of the arrow X;

FIGURE 8 is an end view of FIGURE 3 as seen in the direction of the arrow Y of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 9 diagrammatically illustrates a locking device for locking the upper portion of the operating table to the carriage of FIGURES 3 and 8 in fully locked position.

FIGURE 10 shows the locking mechanism of FIGURE 9 in released position for permitting removal of the upper portion of the operating table from the transport carnage;

FIGURE 11 illustrates the locking mechanism of FIG- URES 9 and 10 in fully locked position with the lower portion of the operating table;

FIGURE 12 is a section taken along the line XIIXII of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 13 is a partial view of FIGURE 1 as seen in the direction of the arrow Z;

FIGURE 14 shows the upper portion of the operating table on the transporting carriage and approaching the lower part of the table;

FIGURE 15 is a section taken along the line XVXV of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 16 is a section taken along the line XVI XVI of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 17 is a view of the carriage of FIGURE 3 equipped with a weighing device for use in connection with the operating table according to the invention.

The operating table according to the present invention is characterized primarily in that in addition to the entire upper part of the operating table, also individual sections thereof which support the patient are power operable for adjustment of said sections, and that the lower normally stationary operating table part has adjusting motor means therein with transmission means or power operable adjusting means which, when placing the transportable upper part of the operating table upon the lower part of the operating table, will automatically drivingly connect it to adjusting means for the upper part of the operating table and the sections thereof.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the operating table according to the present invention comprises a lower part generally designated L (FIG. 1) and an upper part generally designated U (FIG. 2). The lower table part L comprises a base 77 connected to the floor F by a holding ring 78. Base '77 carries a telescopically extendable and collapsible column 3 which is rotatable about its vertical axis by means of a bottom plate and a plurality of balls 76 guided on base 77. Column 3 may be arrested in any adjusted position of rotation by a lever 2. For this purpose, lever 2 actuates a cam shaft 72 which, through the intervention of cams 73 and push rods 74 lifts the entire lower part L with bottom plate 75 from 'balls 76 and presses the same against holding ring 78. The adjustment as to height of the telescopic column 3 is preferably effected by way of the telescoping screw means 3a (FIG. 13) driven by motor means, as, for instance, motor 7c shown in FIG. 13. In the head portion 4 of column 3 there is provided a central body 5 which is rotatable about its longitudinal axis AA and which at both sides is provided with tiltable heads 6 rotatable about the transverse axis BB (FIGS. 7, 13). The turning movements of central body 5 for the so-called edge support (Kantlagerung) and also the movements of the tilting heads 6 for the so-called o a Trendelenburg-inclination (Trendelenburgneigung) may be effected by any standard means, preferably by motor means 7, 7b and 7a, respectively. Means for transmitting these movements from the motor means 7, 7b and 7a to the central body and tilting heads will be seen in FIGS. 1 and 12. Reference numeral 65 designates the bevel gears transmitting power to helical gears 66 serving as coupling and arranged in the tilting heads 6. When the upper part U is placed upon lower part L, helical gears 66 will mesh with helical wheels 17 in upper part U for a purpose to be described later. Gears 65 are driven by motor 7 via a set of bevel gears 8 which connect shaft 8a from motor 7 with shaft 812 leading to gears 65.

The drive for the Trendelenburg-movement is effected by motor 7a through the intervention of bevel gears 8c (FIG. 1), and a shaft St! to the center one of a cluster of spur gears 67. The outer ones of spur gears 67 mesh with spur gears 68 connected to worms 69 meshing with worm wheels 70. Worm wheels 76 are fixedly screwed to the tilting heads 6. Motor 722, through the intervention of a reducing gear system '71 tilts the central body 5.

Motors 7, 7a, 7b, 70 may be coupled to other motors in lower :part L and may also be actuated manually by respective cranks 64 (see FIG. 13) in case of a failure in the electrical power supply.

The adjusting motors '7, 7a, 7b and 7c are controlled by a push-button control register or switch cabinet 10 which by means of a multi-core cable 11 preferably fed by low voltage current is connected to the adjusting motors or the relays thereof. The length of the cable introduced into the rotatable lower table part L is at least so dimensioned that the control register it) can be connected to any desired portion of the upper table part U when the latter is mounted on the lower table part L. Each motor has associated therewith two push-button keys (the second key for the counter movement), which maintain the respective motor in operation only as long as the key is held depressed. Control register 10 furthermore comprises two safety switches I and O by means of which through the intervention of a main relay or switch preceding the relay for the adjusting motor, it is possible selectively to energize or de-energize all of the motor relays. This switch control system yields a high degree of safety because the adjusting movement will stop merely by the operator withdrawing his hand from the push button and because by means of the safety switches unauthorized or accidental energization can be prevented.

The motor drive circuit in table part L permits the arrangement of high voltage and low voltage connections for surgical instruments and also the introduction of measuring current cables for ascertaining the effect of the applied anesthetics. An embodiment of such plug arrangement is shown in FIG. 1 and designated with the reference numeral 12, while reference numeral 12a designates a plug arrangement for the same purpose but which is explosiomproof.

The patient supporting member of the upper operating table part U (FIGS. 2 and 6) comprises a central member 13 having integrally connected box-like side parts. The upper legs 13a of said side parts comprise the joints for those patient supporting sections which are tiltable about the axes C and D. Vertical legs 13!) dependent from the side parts are designed as insertable studs which fit into corresponding bores 6a of the tilting heads 6. The length of the side parts of member 13 corresponds approximately to the distance between the axes C and D and thus has an extension corresponding approximately to the length of the sitting surface of the patient. The length of the vertical legs 13b is so dimensioned that in addition to assuring a good connection with the tilting heads 6, it will give the member 13 sufiicient spacing from the axis 13-3 to assure a satisfactory freedom of inclination.

In the particular embodiment illustrated in the drawing, the total supporting surface of the upper table part U for supporting the patient in lying or stretched-out position is subdivided into three sections in longitudinal direction of the upper table part U. More specifically, the said three sections are composed of the sitting plate 14 resting on member 13, the back plate 15 and the leg plate 16. It is to be understood that this triple division which may be sufiicient for simple operations has been selected for demonstration purposes only to better present the essential features of the invention. Normally, the total supporting surface is composed of seven or nine sections. Thus, for instance, sitting plate 14- may be composed of two sections and the back plate 15 may be divided into an upper and into a lower section and may be supplemented by a head plate. The leg plate may by longitudinal and transverse division be sub-divided into left-hand and righthand and upper and lower leg plate sections. In such an instance, the motor adjustment may be limited to the joints at the axes C and D and the remaining sub-divisions may be adjustable by hand.

For purposes of automatically adjusting the patient supporting sections of upper table part U, the vertical legs 13!; forming inserta'ble studs and pertaining to the member 13 have journalled therein a coupling member, for instance a helical wheel 17 which automatically in response to the placing of upper table part U on lower table part L meshes with a helical wheel 66 forming a second clutch member and arranged in tilting heads 6. Through an angle transmission 18, for instance bevel gear transmission, helical gear transmission or worm-worm wheel transmission, the adjusting movement initiated by adjusting motor 7 is transmitted to the self-locking wormworm wheel transmissions 19, 20 which by means of a suitable clutch 21 are adapted selectively to be engaged or disengaged. In this way, the patient supporting sections 15 and 16 respectively representing back plates and leg plates can be automatically adjusted by a common adjusting motor. When the leg plate is longitudinally subdivided into right and left leg plate sections, the right and left leg plate sections can be moved independently of each other from the idling position of clutch 21. To this end, either the right-hand 0r left-hand coupling in the member 13 is engaged with regard to the respective leg plate. In a similar manner, instead of the leg plate, leg shells may be provided and operated for gynecological operation, or extension bars may be provided and actuated for the treatment of bones.

According to the particular embodiment illustrated in the drawing, a clutch lever 22 is adapted to displace clutch 21 by means of a coupling device preferably operable from the end of the back plate. Such coupling device is composed of manually operable lever 23, transmission lever 24, transmission means 25 and the outer clutch lever 26 which is outside member 13 and connected to clutch 21. The transmission means 25 may in its most simple form he formed by a coupling bar. However, preferably, with regard to the patient supporting parts which are adjustable relative to each other, the transmission means 25 is designed flexible, for instance as a so-called Flexball or flexible pull-pressure operable means, i.e. a type of Bowden cable adapted not only to transmit pulling but also pressure forces. In the Flexball system, this is made possible by a plastic covered, movable spiral tube having arranged therein a steel band penetrated by balls similar to a drawn ball bearing cage.

As will be seen in FIG. 6, there may be a clutch 21 on each side of the table portion and this arrangement would readily permit the independent power actuation of individual leg plates or leg shells by operating the clutches 21 individually.

It is to be understood that in addition to the motor driven actuating mechanism, also a manually operable mechanism for actuating the back or leg plates may be provided. Such an arrangement is shown in FIG. 15 which makes it possible to selectively actuate the back plates or leg plates through the intervention of the clutch.

An insertable crank 57 presses through the intervention of a coupling 58 upon shaft 59 having keyed thereto helical gears 60 meshing with helical gears 61 (see FIG. 16). Helical gears 61 are mounted on the same shaft to which also the bevel gears 18 are connected which actuate the back plates and leg plates through the intervention of the remaining portion of the transmission (see FIG. 2).

A modified driving connection is illustrated in FIG. 16. In this instance, an upper resiliently journalled jaw clutch member 62 is arranged in the upper part U and is adapted to cooperate with a lower jaw clutch member 63 in the tilting head 6.

In order to increase the universal use of the operating table according to the present invention, the back plates are so designed that they may be exchanged with the leg plates 16. This exchangeability is indicated in FIG. 2 by plugs 27 with arresting screws 28. It will be obvious from the drawing that such exchange will change nothing with regard to the adjustability of said patient supporting surfaces and that merely some provisions have to be made for the clutch remaining at the rear plate end. To this end, clutch lever 22, 26 is arranged in the plane of symmetry between the axes C and D of the joints for the patient supporting surface while the transmission means at the outer clutch lever 26 is so designed as to be easily detachable.

According to FIGS. 4 and 5, block 27 for receiving the end means 28 of transmission 25 is open at the top and is closed merely by a cover 30 adapted easily to be tilted back by hand while being held in its closed position by means of a torsion spring 29. End 28, is prevented by a pin 30a from being axially displaced, and can then easily be lifted out of block 27' when cover 30 is opened inasmuch as the outer clutch lever 26 is likewise open at the top and the transmission means 25 is connected thereto by ball 2511 which will lift out of the open top of lever 26. After exchanging the position of the back plates, the ends 28' of the flexible transmission means 25 are at both sides of member 13 inserted into non-illustrated second blocks of the same design as blocks 27 and which are located on the opposite sides of lever 26 from blocks 27 The transporting carriage illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 8 has to meet several requirements. When taking the upper table part U from or placing it upon the carriage, the carriage is centered relative to the table and is guided by means of guiding rails 31 on the carriage which are arranged in a fork-shaped manner and which slidably engage guiding rails 32 fixed to opposite sides of base 77 of part L (FIG. 7). Stop means 31' in rails 31 engage the ends of rails 32 when insertable studs 13b are aligned with bores or sockets 6a in the heads or supporting means 6 of the support part L. The transport carriage frame carries supporting columns 33 on which means 34 are mounted for receiving the upper table part U. These supporting means 34 may be arranged fixedly but are preferably adjustable as to height. The provision of two spaced supporting columns leaves a space free therebetween which is of advantage for the employment of X-ray equipment during the pre-examination of the patient outside the operating room.

For purposes of adapting the transport carriage to the height of hospital beds, transporting vehicles for patients such as ambulances or the like, the height of the support means 34 for the upper table part U may be adjusted by standard devices, for instance hydraulically or mechanically. According to the specific embodiment illustrated in the drawing, there is provided a manually operable crank 35 which is adapted through the intervention of a transmission 36 to rotate a threaded spindle 37 which by means of a nut 38 fixedly connected to supporting means 34 brings about a raising or lowering of said supporting means. The height adjusting means in each of said supporting columns 33 are drivingly interconnected so as to assure a uniform adjustment of the lifting and lowering means in each of said columns 33.

The carriage chassis composed of guiding rails 31, transverse bar 39 and beam 40 rests on two strong wheels 41 disposed at the bottom of columns 33 and wheels at the outer end of beam 40 which are journalled in casters 42. A foldable handle 43 is also provided on the outer end of beam 40. In order to be able also on the transport carriage to adjust the patient supporting parts, which are motor adjusted when the upper table part rests on the lower table part, there is provided a transmission shaft 45 operable manually by means of a crank 44, said crank being movable toward studs 13b in slot 45a when the studs 13b are withdrawn from heads 6. In this instance, the helical wheels 46 mesh with the helical wheels 17 in stud 13b. Thus, the above-mentioned adjustments of the back and leg plates are also possible when upper table part U is on the transport carriage. When difiicult operations are involved which cause high loss in blood, for instance with heart operations, a check of the weight of the patient is imperative which check, however, heretofore before and after the operation by placing the patient on a scale was possible only under great difliculties while such weight check was totally impossible during the operation. Therefore, according to a further development of the present invention, the transport carriage is equipped with a weighing device, shown in FIG. 17. A highly sensitive quartz crystal 54 or the like transmits its piezo-electric effective voltage to a transistor or battery equipped amplifier 55. The amplified voltage values are indicated on a voltmeter the scale 56 of which is gauged so as to indicate the weight in kg. In this way, a weight check is possible during the operation without any material disturbance and without removing the patient from the upper operating table part U and merely requires a brief movement of the upper operating table part U from the lower table part L to the transport carriage and back to the lower table part L.

It is a matter of course that the upper table part U must be reliably firmly connected with the supporting means therefor, i.e. lower table part L or carriage and that also perfect safety must be assured during the shifting from one supporting means to the other supporting means. Thus, particular emphasis has been placed by the present invention upon means assuring such safety.

More specifically, locking members 47 are provided on both sides of member 13 of the upper table part U and when the upper table part U is placed on the lower table part L automatically by their own Weight engage and latch on bolts 48 on tilting heads 6. If desired, such automatic latching may be aided by spring means. The cam surface on locking member 47 is so designed as to be self-locking so that this locking member cannot accidentally detach itself. Consequently, a lifting off of the upper operating table part U from its lower support is impossible without a previous unlatching. At the same time, locking member or lever 47 will assure a shake-proof connection.

When upper table part U is mounted on the transport carriage, the same locking members 47 will engage latch bolts 49 on the transport carriage and will also in this instance assure a firm connection between the upper table part U and the carriage. The holding in this instance is effected by studs 50 which engage bores 51 on member 13. When transferring the upper table part U from one supporting means to another supporting means, the locking means remain in their respective safety locking position until the upper table part U has been fully received by the new supporting means which takes over the supporting action.

FIGS. 9 to 11 illustrate the above-mentioned locking operatoins. In the position shown in FIG. 9, stud 50 of the transport carriage still rests in bore 51 of upper table part U, and locking member 47 is latched to bolt 49. Upper table part U is already in readiness for being received by table part L by lowering of part U or raising of part L.

According to the showing of FIG. 10, the transport carriage has been operated to lower table part U or lower part L has been elevated and stud 13b is fully engaged by bore of tilting head 6, where as stud 50 of the receiving means on the carriage still engages bore 51 of angle member 13. Merely locking member 47 has been disengaged, and is held in disengaged position by member 52. The back cam surface of member 52 during the lowering of the carriage or the rising of the table lower part L engaged bolt 53 on tilting head 6 and was, during the further movement automatically tilted toward locking member 47 so as to hold the latter in its unlocking position. Thus locking member 47 is prevented from latching either one of the two bolts 48 and 49 as long as these bolts are arranged opposite to each other.

According to the showing of FIG. 11, upper table part U has been lifted oit the carriage, either by elevation of part L or lowering of the carriage, and member 52 is freed and locking member 47 has engaged latch bolt 48. In this way, a firm connection of part U with the table lower part L has been established.

When table part U is to be lifted from lower table part L onto the carriage, the just-described operations are, of course, reversed and it is merely necessary to consider the last-mentioned three figures in the reverse sequence, name- 1y, FIG. 11-FIG. -FIG. 9.

FIGURE 14 shows, somewhat diagrammatically, upper part U mounted on the transport carriage and approaching the lower part L of the operating table.

In FIGURE 14 it will be seen that studs 50 of the support means 34 of the transport carriage are disposed in bores 51 of member 13. Support means 34 engages the bottoms of the side parts of member 13 and leaves the insertable studs 13b exposed for being received in bores 6a of tilting heads 6 of lower part L. In FIGURE 14, the one support means 34 has been broken away to show the adjacent insertable stud 131) while the bolt 49 and unlatching lever 52 pertaining to the broken away support means are illustrated.

In FIGURE 14, the guide rails 31 of the transport carriage are engaged with the guide rails 32 of lower part L so the transport carriages will be guided to the proper position relative to lower part L as it approaches its terminal position as determined by stop means 31'. The terminal position of the transport carriage aligns insertable studs 1315 with bores 6a in heads 6.

When the transport carriage reaches its terminal position, crank 35 may be availed of to lower support means 34 and, together therewith, upper part U of the table.

Alternatively, motor 70 can be availed of for raising lower part L of the table. Preferably, motor 7c is employed in this operation for ease, speed, and smoothness.

As upper part U and lower part L approach each other in the vertical direction, studs 13b enter bores 6a of heads 6 and, near the end of this inserting movement, levers 52 engage studs 53 on tilting heads 6 and are moved thereby in a direction to move levers 47 away from bolts 48 on part L and bolts 49 on the transport carriage. The foregoing is shown in FIGURES 10 and 11.

As support means 34 continues to lower, or lower part L continues to rise, studs 51 will be withdrawn from bores 50 and levers 52 will pass on by studs 53 and release levers 47 so they will drop by gravity over bolts 49 on the heads 6. This last movement is shown in FIG- URE 11 wherein it will be seen that upper part U is locked to lower part L and that the transport carriage is disconnected from upper part U and can, therefore, be drawn away from the operating table.

As mentioned previously, the carrying out of the foregoing steps in reverse order will transfer upper part U to the transport carriage in locked-on relation thereto.

It is, of course, tobe understood that the present in vention is, by no means, limited to the particular construction shown in the drawings, but also comprises any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an operating table structure; a normally stationary first support part, a sectionalized patient support table portion detachably resting on said first support part, adjusting means on the table portion for adjusting the sections thereof relative to each other, power operable drive means carried by said first support part, and means responsive to the placing of said table portion in position on said first support part for effecting driving connection between said adjusting means and said power operable drive means.

2. In an operating table structure; a normally stationary first support part, a sectionalized patient support table portion detachably resting on said first support part, adjusting means on the table portion for adjusting the sections thereof relative to each other, power operable drive means carried by said first support part, means responsive to the placing of said table portion in position on said first support part for effecting driving connection between said adjusting means and said power operable drive means, a second mobile support part adapted for detachably supportingly receiving said table portion, manually operable drive means carried by said second support part, and means responsive to the placing of said table portion on said second support part for effecting driving connection between said adjusting means and said manually operable drive means.

3. In an operating table structure; a normally stationary first support part, a sectionalized patient support table portion detachably resting on said first support part, adjusting means on the table portion for adjusting the sections thereof relative to each other, power operable drive means carried by said first support part, means responsive to the placing of said table portion in position on said first support part for etfecting driving connection between said adjusting means and said power operable drive means, a second mobile support part adapted for detachably supportingly receiving said table portion, manually operable drive means carried by said second support part, and means responsive to the placing of said table portion on said second support part for effecting driving connection between said adjusting means and said manually operable drive means, said second support part including vertically adjustable means which detachably supportingly engage said table portion.

4. In an operating table structure; a normally stationary first support part, a sect-ionalized patient support table portion detachably resting on said first support part, adjusting means on the table portion for adjusting the sections thereof relative to each other, power operable drive means carried by said first support part, means responsive to the placing of said table portion in position on said first support part for efiecting driving connection between said adjusting means and: said power operable drive means, a second mobile support part adapted for detachably supportingly receiving said table portion, manually operable drive means carried by said second support part, and means responsive to the placing of said table portion on said second support part for eiiecting driving connection between said adjusting means and said manually operable drive means, said second support part including means for measuring the weight imposed thereon.

5. In an operating table structure; a normally stationary first support part, a sectionalized patient support table portion detachably resting on said first support part, adjusting means on the table portion for adjusting the sections thereof relative to each other, power operable drive means carried by said first support part, and means responsive to the placing of said table portion in position on said first support part for efiecting driving connection between said adjusting means and said power operable drive means, said first support part comprising support head means thereon tiltable about first and second angularly disposed axes, said table portion including a central section having members integral therewith on the underneath side, and means on the underneath side of said members for engaging said support head means.

6. In an operating table structure; a normally stationary first support part, a sectionalized patient support table portion detachably resting on said first support part, adjusting means on the table portion for adjusting the sections thereof relative to each other, power operable drive means carried by said first support part, and means responsive to the placing of said table portion in position on said first support part for effecting driving connection between said adjusting means and said power operable drive means, said first support part comprising support head means thereon tiltable about first and second angularly disposed ares, said table portion including a central section having members integral therewith on the underneath side, and means on the underneath side of said members for engaging said support head means, said table portion also comprising end sections at opposite ends of said central section, and pivot means tiltably connecting said end sections to opposite ends of said members.

7. In an operating table structure; a normally stationary first support part, a sectionalized patient support table portion detachably resting on said first support part, adjusting means on the table portion for adjusting the sections thereof relative to each other, power operable drive means carried by said first support part, means responsive to the placing of said table portion in position on said first support part for effecting driving connection between said adjusting means and said power operable drive means, a second mobile support part adapted for detachably supportingly receiving said table portion, manually operable drive means carried by said second support part, and means responsive to the placing of said table portion on said second support part for effecting driving connection between said adjusting means and said manually operable drive means, said first support part comprising tiltable support heads having sockets therein, said table portion comprising a central section having support members extending longitudinally thereof on the underneath side, insertable studs dependent from said support members and receivable in said sockets, said studs being located near one end of said support members, and means formed in the bottom of said support members for receiving stud elements extending upwardly from said second support part.

8. In an operating table structure; an upper table portion adapted for receiving a patient, a first and normally stationary lower support part, a second and transportable lower support part, each said first and second part having table portion engaging and supporting means at the top for supportingly engaging said table portion from beneath, each said supporting means engaging the table portion in a diiferent but adjacent region, at least one of said supporting means being vertically adjustable on its respective said part to permit the transfer of said table portion from one supporting means to the other and vice versa, and latch means operable for latching said table portion to the respective said supporting means supporting the table portions, said latch means being automatically operable in response to the supporting engagement of said table portion by the respective supporting means to effect latching engagement with the respective support means, and means operable automatically while said table portion is engaged by both said supporting means for disengaging said latch means.

9. In an operating table structure; a normally stationary first support part, a sectionalized patient support table portion detachably resting on said first support part, adjusting means on the table portion for adjusting the sections thereof relative to each other, power operable drive means carried by said first support part, means responsive to the placing of said table portion in position on said first support part for effecting driving connection between said adjusting means and said power operable drive means, a second mobile support part adapted for detachably supportingly receiving said table portion, manually operable drive means carried by said second support part, and means responsive to the placing of said table portion on said second support part for effecting driving connection between said adjusting means and said manually operable drive means, both said power operable driving means and said manually operable driving means including helical output gear means, said adjusting means including helical input gear means.

10. In an operating table structure; a normally stationary first support part, a sectionalized patient support table portion detachably resting on said first support part, adjusting means on the table portion for adjusting the sections thereof relative to each other, power operable drive means carried by said first support part, means responsive to the placing of said table portion in position on said first support part for effecting driving connection be tween said adjusting means and said power operable drive means, a second mobile support part adapted for detachably supportingly receiving said table portion, manually operable drive means carried by said second support part, and means responsive to the placing of said table portion on said second support part for elfecting driving connection between said adjusting means and said manually operable drive means, both said power operable driving means and said manually operable driving means including helical output gear means, said adjusting means including helical input gear means, said table portion comprising a center section and an end section pivoted to each end of said center section, said adjusting means including individual means connected to each said end section for tilting the respective end section on said center section, and clutch means operable for selectively clutching said input gear means to said individual means.

11. An operating table structure according to claim 10 in which manual means are providedoperatively connected to said clutch means for actuating the clutch means, and means supporting said manual means on one of said end sections.

12. An operating table structure according to claim 10 in which said clutch means is located intermediate the ends of said center section, manual means mounted on one of said end sections for actuating said clutch means, and a flexible element operatively connecting said manual means with said clutch means.

13. An operating table structure according to claim 12 in which said manual means is detachably connected to said one end section, and wherein said end sections are detachably connected to said center section and are exchangeable on the center section.

14. In an operating table structure; an upper table portion adapted for receiving a patient, a first and normally stationary lower support part, a second and transportable lower support part, each said first and second part having table portion engaging and supporting means at the top for supportingly engaging said table portion from beneath, each said supporting means engaging the table portion in a dilferent but adjacent region, at least one of said supporting means being vertically adjustable on its respective said part to permit the transfer of said table portion from one supporting means to the other and vice versa, and latch means operable for latching said table portion to the respective said supporting means supporting the table portion, said first support part together with its supporting means being rotatable on a vertical axis, and means for locking said first support part in rotated positons.

15. In an operating table structure; a normally stationary first support part, a sectionalized patient support table portion detachably resting on said first support part, adjusting means on the table portion for adjusting the sections thereof relative to each other, power operable drive means carried by said first support part, and means responsive to the placing of said table portion in position on said first support part for effecting driving connection between said adjusting means and said power operable drive means, said power operable drive means including an electric motor in said first support part, a flexible electric cable leading from the motor, and switch means connected to the cable and remote from said first support part.

16. In an operating table structure; a normally stationary first support part, a sectionalized patient support table portion deachably resting on said first support part, adjusting means on the table portion for adjusting the sections thereof relative to each other, power operable drive means carried by said first support part, and means responsive to the placing of said table portion in position on said first support part for effecting driving connection be tween said adjusting means and said power operable drive means, said power operable drive means including an electric motor in said first support part, other electrical auxiliaries in said first support part, a flexible electric cable leading from said first support part and connected to said motor and auxiliaries, a switch cabinet remote from said first support part connected to said cable, and two switch means in said cabinet for said motor and for each said auxiliary.

17. In an operating table structure; a normally stationary first support part, a sectionalized patient support table portion detachably resting on said first support part, adjusting means on the table portion for adjusting the sections thereof relative to each other, power operable drive means carried by said first support part, and means responsive to the placing of said table portion in position on said first support part for effecting driving connection between said adjusting means and said power operable drive means, said power operable drive means including an electric motor in said first support part, other electrical auxiliaries in said first support part, a flexible electric cable leading from said first support part and connected to said motor and auxiliaries, a switch cabinet remote from said first support part connected to said cable, and two switch means in said cabinet for said motor and for each said auxiliary, a main relay in said cabinet to control the connection of said cable to a source of power, and a pair of switches in said cabinet controlling said relay.

18. An operating table structure according to claim 17 in which said auxiliaries include high voltage, low voltage, and measuring current connections.

19. An operating table structure according to claim 8 in which said second support part includes supporting wheels to facilitate movement thereof for conveying a table portion thereon to and from said first support part, and interengageable elements of guiding and abutment means on said first and second support parts for guiding said sec- 0nd support part as it moves to and from said first support part and for locating said second support part relative to said first part as said second part moves toward said first support part to align the region of said table portion to be engaged by the respective said supporting means of said first and second support parts therewith during transfer of the table portion from one of said supporting means to the other thereof.

20. In an operating table structure; an upper table portion adapted for receiving a patient, a first normally stationary support part, a second moveable support part, said first part having an upper section rotatable on a vertical axis on said part, said upper section having a support frame extending laterally therefrom and rotatable thereon on a horizontal axis, said frame having spaced heads thereon and rotatable thereon about a horizontal axis extending at right angles to said first mentioned horizontal axis, said heads having upwardly opening sockets, said table portion comprising a center section and end sections pivoted to opposite ends of the center section, support members extending longitudinally along the underneath of said center section at opposite sides thereof, post elements extending downwardly from the ends of said support members adapted for being received in the sockets of said heads, said second part having vertically moveable support means thereon adapted for engaging the undersides of said support members, locating pins extending upwardly from the supporting means of said second part and bores formed in said supporting members for receiving said pins.

21. A structure according to claim 2, which includes manually operable means operable selectively in cooperation with said first and said second support parts to adjust sections of said table portions.

22. A structure according to claim 1, which includes cooperating elements of a latch means carried by said first support part and by said table portion and adapted in response to the placing of said table portion on said first part to latch said first support part and said table portion together.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,681,159 6/1954 McOrosson.

3,220,575 11/1965 Battyetal.

LESTER M. SWINGLE, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT C. RIORDON, Examiner.

E. SUTTON, Assistant Examiner. 

2. IN AN OPERATING TABLE STRUCTURE; A NORMALLY STATIONARY FIRST SUPPORT PART, A SECTIONALIZED PATIENT SUPPORT TABLE PORTION DETACHABLY RESTING ON SAID FIRST SUPPORT PART, ADJUSTING MEANS ON THE TABLE PORTION FOR ADJUSTING THE SECTIONS THEREOF RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER, POWER OPERABLE DRIVE MEANS CARRIED BY SAID FIRST SUPPORT PART, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE PLACING OF SAID TABLE PORTION IN POSITION ON SAID FIRST SUPPORT PART FOR EFFECTING DRIVING CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID ADJUSTING MEANS AND SAID POWER OPERABLE DRIVE MEANS, A SECOND MOBILE SUPPORT PART ADAPTED FOR DETACHABLY SUPPORTINGLY RECEIVING SAID TABLE PORTION, MANUALLY OPERABLE DRIVE MEANS CARRIED BY SAID SECOND SUPPORT PART, AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE PLACING OF SAID TABLE PORTION ON SAID SECOND SUPPORT PART FOR EFFECTING DRIVING CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID ADJUSTING MEANS AND SAID MANUALLY OPERABLE DRIVE MEANS. 